Predator pipeline: Athletes overrepresented in sex cases

Over the past five years, universities disciplined NCAA athletes for sexual misconduct at more than three times the rate of the general student population. Football players were disciplined the most.

Almost three dozen NCAA Division I universities contributed data, including Ohio State University, the University of Florida and Michigan State University. Fewer than 3% of their students were athletes, but athletes made up nearly 9% of the students found responsible for sexual offenses.

And while representing less than 1% of the overall student population at the schools with football teams, gridiron standouts accounted for more than 6% of those found responsible for sexual misconduct.

But these results from a USA TODAY Network investigation may be understated because many rapes and sexual assaults on campus go unreported and because many universities refuse to inform the public about one of the biggest problems they face today.